September 28, 2012

Friday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time

There is an appointed time for everything,and a time for every thing under the heavens.A time to be born, and a time to die;a time to plant, and a time to uproot the plant.A time to kill, and a time to heal;a time to tear down, and a time to build.A time to weep, and a time to laugh;a time to mourn, and a time to dance.A time to scatter stones, and a time to gather them;a time to embrace, and a time to be far from embraces.A time to seek, and a time to lose;a time to keep, and a time to cast away.A time to rend, and a time to sew;a time to be silent, and a time to speak.A time to love, and a time to hate;a time of war, and a time of peace.

What advantage has the worker from his toil?I have considered the task that God has appointedfor the sons of men to be busied about.He has made everything appropriate to its time,and has put the timeless into their hearts,without man's ever discovering,from beginning to end, the work which God has done.

R. (1) Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!Blessed be the LORD, my rock,my mercy and my fortress,my stronghold, my deliverer,My shield, in whom I trust.R. Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!LORD, what is man, that you notice him;the son of man, that you take thought of him?Man is like a breath;his days, like a passing shadow.R. Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!

Once when Jesus was praying in solitude,and the disciples were with him,he asked them, "Who do the crowds say that I am?"They said in reply, "John the Baptist; others, Elijah;still others, 'One of the ancient prophets has arisen.'"Then he said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"Peter said in reply, "The Christ of God."He rebuked them and directed them not to tell this to anyone.

He said, "The Son of Man must suffer greatlyand be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,and be killed and on the third day be raised."

[1] For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter
under heaven:
[2] a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
[3] a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
[4] a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
[5] a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
[6] a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
[7] a time to rend, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
[8] a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.
[9] What gain has the worker from his toil?

Man cannot see far

[10] I have seen the business that God has given to the sons of men to be busy
with. He has made everything beautiful in its time; also he has put eternity into
man’s mind, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the begin-
ning to the end.

3:1-15. After arriving at the previous conclusion, the sacred writer picks up the
thread of his discourse to say something along the same lines as 1:3-7, but this
time focussing not on the created world but on “seasonal” changes in human life.
These, too, are fixed in advance and man can do nothing to alter them (vv. 1-9).
However, even though he may not be able to make sense of them, man has to
accept that it is God who makes “everything beautiful in its time” (vv. 10-11), and
therefore man should enjoy life as a gift from God (vv. 12-13), conscious that God
controls what happens now and in the future (vv. 14-15; cf. 1:9).

3:1-9. In this passage the teacher of Israel uses some ideas from the Greek phi-
losophers. He lists fourteen pairs of “times” in the ordinary life of man. In Hebrew
culture, numbers had symbolic values, multiples of seven denoting completeness;
so this list is meant to include all the stages and tasks of life. By putting birth
and death first he is giving them pride of place: all the other pairs fit in between
birth and death. The Stoic philosophers claimed that the human mind can know
the season fixed for each activity, and that a virtuous man knows and respects
the appropriate time for each thing. As the Preacher sees it, man can know them,
but he cannot change them, because it is God who has established those times
and he has charged man with the task of discovering them. Moreover, the “sea-
sons of life, the times at which events in man’s life happen, are presented here
as transcending man’s understanding, while, at the same time, they lie at the
core of his existence. Believing, as we do, that the coming of Christ marks the
fullness of time, we see time to be the backdrop against which the salvation his-
tory unfolds: “In Christianity, time has a fundamental importance, said Bl. John
Paul II. “Within the dimension of time the world was created; within it the history
of salvation unfolds, finding its culmination in the ‘fullness of time’ of the Incarna-
tion, and its goal in the glorious return of the Son of God at the end of time.

In Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh, time becomes a dimension of God, who
is himself eternal. With the coming of Christ there begin ‘the last days’ (cf. Heb
1:2), the ‘last hour’ (cf. 1 Jn 2:18), and the time of the Church, which will last un-
til the Parousia. From this relationship of God with time there arises the duty to
sanctify time. This is done, for example, when individual times, days or weeks,
are dedicated to God, as once happened in the religion of the Old Covenant, and
as happens still, though in a new way, in Christianity. In the liturgy of the Easter
Vigil the celebrant, as he blesses the candle which symbolizes the Risen Christ,
proclaims: ‘Christ yesterday and today, the beginning and the end. Alpha and
Omega, all time belongs to him, and all the ages, to him be glory and power
through every age for ever.’ He says these words as he inscribes on the candle
the numerals of the current year. The meaning of this rite is clear: it emphasizes
the fact that Christ is the Lord of time; he is its beginning and its end; every year,
every day and every moment are embraced by his Incarnation and Resurrection,
and thus become part of the ‘fullness of time’” (Tertio millenio adveniente, 10).
Thus, every time, every moment, is not purely transitory; it is an eternal dimen-
sion. So, “what is important is to make good use of time, that time which is al-
ways slipping from our grasp and which to a Christian is more precious than
gold, because it represents a foretaste of the glory that will he granted us here-
after” (St. J. Escriva, Friends of God, 212).

3:10-15. Earlier, the sacred writer spoke about his personal reflections (”I said
to myself”: 1:16; 2:1, 15); now he is going to speak about what he sees, what
his own experience has been (”I have seen”: v. 10; cf. 3:16; 4:1; etc.). He sees
man’s activity as the “business” entrusted to him by God. Although man does
not grasp the full import of his actions, he can still take some pleasure from
them and benefit from them.

*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

[18] Now it happened that as He (Jesus) was praying alone the disciples were
with Him; and He asked them, “Who do the people say that I am?” [19] And
they answered, “John the Baptist; but others say, Elijah; and others, that one
of the old prophets has risen.” [20] And He said to them, “But who do you say
that I am?” And Peter answered, “The Christ of God.”

First Prophecy of the Passion

[21] But He charged and commanded them to tell this to no one, [22] saying,
“The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and
chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”

20. “Christ” means “anointed” and is a name indicating honor and office. In the
Old Law “priests” were anointed (Exodus 29:7 and 40:13), as were “kings” (1
Samuel 9:16), because God laid down that they should receiving anointing in
view of their position; there was also a custom to anoint “prophets” (1 Samuel
16:13) because they were interpreters and intermediaries of God. “When Jesus
Christ our Savior came into the world, He assumed the position and obligations
of the three offices of priest, king and prophet and was therefore called Christ”
(”St. Pius V Catechism”, I, 3, 7).

22. Jesus prophesied His passion and death in order to help His disciples believe
in him. It also showed that He was freely accepting these sufferings He would un-
dergo. “Christ did not seek to be glorified: He chose to come without glory in or-
der to undergo suffering; and you, who have been born without glory, do you wish
to be glorified? The route you must take is the one Christ took. This means re-
cognizing Him and it means imitating Him both in His ignominy and in His good
repute; thus you will glory in the Cross, which was His path to glory. That was
what Paul did, and therefore he glorified in saying, ‘Far be it from me to glory ex-
cept in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ’ (Galatians 6:14)” (St. Ambrose, “Ex-
positio Evangelii Sec. Lucam, in loc.”).

*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

Readings at Mass

There is a season for everything, a time for every occupation under heaven:

A time for giving birth,

a time for dying;

a time for planting,

a time for uprooting what has been planted.

A time for killing,

a time for healing;

a time for knocking down,

a time for building.

A time for tears,

a time for laughter;

a time for mourning,

a time for dancing.

A time for throwing stones away,

a time for gathering them up;

a time for embracing,

a time to refrain from embracing.

A time for searching,

a time for losing;

a time for keeping,

a time for throwing away.

A time for tearing,

a time for sewing;

a time for keeping silent,

a time for speaking.

A time for loving,

a time for hating;

a time for war,

a time for peace.

What does a man gain for the efforts that he makes? I contemplate the task that God gives mankind to labour at. All that he does is apt for its time; but though he has permitted man to consider time in its wholeness, man cannot comprehend the work of God from beginning to end.

One day when Jesus was praying alone in the presence of his disciples he put this question to them, Who do the crowds say I am? And they answered, John the Baptist; others Elijah; and others say one of the ancient prophets come back to life. But you, he said who do you say I am? It was Peter who spoke up. The Christ of God he said. But he gave them strict orders not to tell anyone anything about this.

The Son of Man he said is destined to suffer grievously, to be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes and to be put to death, and to be raised up on the third day.

Following are the Prayers after Low Mass which were prescribed by Pope Leo XIII who composed the Prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel, and were reinforced by Pope Pius XI and Pope Pius XII to pray for the conversion of Russia. These prayers were in effect until after Vatican II. A decade later Paul VI said, "satan has entered the sanctuary." Could the elimination of these powerful prayers with a ten year indulgence have played a huge part in allowing the devil such easy access? The answer is obvious. Below the normal Leonine Prayers is the longer version of the Prayer to St. Michael, composed by His Excellency Pope Leo XIII to defend against The Great Apostasy.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen. (Said 3 times)

Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To thee to we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To thee do we send up our sighs, mouring and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this exile, show unto us the blessed Fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.

Pray for us, O holy Mother of God. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray.O God, our refuge and our strength, look down with mercy upon the people who cry to Thee; and by the intercession of the glorious and immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of God, of Saint Joseph her spouse, of the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, and of all the saints, in Thy mercy and goodness hear our prayers for the conversion of sinners, and for the liberty and exaltation of the Holy Mother the Church. Through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle; be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray: and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, thrust into hell satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Have mercy on us. Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Have mercy on us. Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Have mercy on us.

Complete Prayer to Saint Michael

The following is the longer version of the vital prayer composed by Pope Leo XIII in 1888 after his startling vision as to the future of the Church. This prayer was dedicated for the Feast of St. Michael 1448 years from the date of the election of the first Leo - Pope Saint Leo the Great. Everyone is familiar with the first prayer below which was mandated by His Holiness as part of the Leonine Prayers after Low Mass. After Vatican II, in legion with the devil Giovanni Montini outlawed this necessary prayer and then one wonders how "the smoke of satan" got into the sanctuary? The conciliarists wanted to make sure the words in bold below would never see the light of day again for in it Leo foretold what would happen: The shepherd would be struck, the sheep scattered. Below are both the short and longer versions of this poignant prayer which should never be forgotten.

Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle, be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him we humbly pray, and do thou, O heavenly hosts, by the power of God, thrust into hell satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world for the ruin of souls. Amen.

O glorious Archangel Saint Michael, Prince of the heavenly host, be our defense in the terrible warfare which we carry on against principalities and powers, against the rulers of this world of darkness, spirits of evil. Come to the aid of man, whom God created immortal, made in His own image and likeness, and redeemed at a great price from the tyranny of the devil. Fight this day the battle of our Lord, together with the holy angels, as already thou hast fought the leader of the proud angels, Lucifer, and his apostate host, who were powerless to resist thee, nor was there place for them any longer in heaven. That cruel, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil or Satan who seduces the whole world, was cast into the abyss with his angels. Behold this primeval enemy and slayer of men has taken courage. Transformed into an angel of light, he wanders about with all the multitude of wicked spirits, invading the earth in order to blot out the Name of God and of His Christ, to seize upon, slay, and cast into eternal perdition, souls destined for the crown of eternal glory. That wicked dragon pours out. as a most impure flood, the venom of his malice on men of depraved mind and corrupt heart, the spirit of lying, of impiety, of blasphemy, and the pestilent breath of impurity, and of every vice and iniquity. These most crafty enemies have filled and inebriated with gall and bitterness the Church, the spouse of the Immaculate Lamb, and have laid impious hands on Her most sacred possessions. In the Holy Place itself, where has been set up the See of the most holy Peter and the Chair of Truth for the light of the world, they have raised the throne of their abominable impiety with the iniquitous design that when the Pastor has been struck the sheep may be scattered. Arise then, O invincible Prince, bring help against the attacks of the lost spirits to the people of God, and give them the victory. They venerate thee as their protector and patron; in thee holy Church glories as her defense against the malicious powers of hell; to thee has God entrusted the souls of men to be established in heavenly beatitude. Oh, pray to the God of peace that He may put Satan under our feet, so far conquered that he may no longer be able to hold men in captivity and harm the Church. Offer our prayers in the sight of the Most High, so that they may quickly conciliate the mercies of the Lord; and beating down the dragon, the ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, do thou again make him captive in the abyss, that he may no longer seduce the nations. Amen.

V: Let us pray. O God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we call upon Thy holy Name, and as suppliants, we implore Thy clemency, that by the intercession of Mary, ever Virgin, immaculate and our Mother, and of the glorious Archangel Saint Michael, Thou wouldst deign to help us against Satan and all other unclean spirits, who wander about the world for the injury of the human race and the ruin of our souls. Amen.

Prayer Before the Crucifix

Look down upon me, O good and gentle Jesus, while before Thy face I humbly kneel, and with burning soul pray and beseech Thee to fix deep in my heart lively sentiments of faith, hope and charity, true contrition for my sins, and a firm purpose of amendment; the while I contemplate with great love and tender pity Thy five most precious wounds, pondering over them within me, calling to mind the words which David Thy prophet said of Thee, my good Jesus: "They have pierced My hands and My feet; they have numbered all My bones."

Soul of Christ, sanctify me.Body of Christ, save me.Blood of Christ, inebriate me.Water from the side of Christ, wash me.Passion of Christ, strengthen me.O Good Jesus, hear me.Within Thy wounds, hide me.Suffer me not to be separated from Thee.From the malignant enemy, defend me.In the hour of my death, call me.And bid me come to Thee, that withThy saints I may praise Thee for ever and ever. Amen.

Indulgence of 300 days; if recited after devout reception of Holy Communion, seven years Raccolta 131)

Prayer for Vocations

O Lord Jesus Christ, Who didst take to Thyself a body and soul like ours, to teach us the glory of self-sacrifice and service, mercifully deign to instill in other hearts the desire to dedicate their lives to Thee. Give us PRIESTS to stand before Thine Altar and to preach the words of Thy Gospel; BROTHERS to assist the priests and to reproduce in themselves Thy humility; SISTERS to teach the young and nurse the sick and to minister Thy charity to all; LAY PEOPLE to imitate Thee in their homes and families. Amen.

1. Sign of the Cross: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

2. The Apostles Creed: I BELIEVE in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day He rose again. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty. From thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

3. The Lord's Prayer: OUR Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

4. (3) Hail Mary: HAIL Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and in the hour of our death. Amen. (Three times)

5. Glory Be: GLORY be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Fatima Prayer: Oh, my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of your mercy.

Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve! To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears! Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us; and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus!

O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Final step -- The Sign of the Cross

The Mysteries of the Rosary

By tradition, Catholics meditate on these Mysteries during prayers of the Rosary. The biblical references follow each of the Mysteries below.

St. Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle Be our protection against the wickednessand snares of the devil;May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, Cast into hell Satan and all the evil spiritswho prowl through the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen+

Evening PrayerSomeone has said that if people really understood the full extent of the power we have available through prayer, we might be speechless.Did you know that during WWII there was an advisor to Churchill who organized a group of people who dropped what they were doing every day at a prescribed hour for one minute to collectively pray for the safety of England, its people and peace?

There is now a group of people organizing the same thing here in America. If you would like to participate: Every evening at 9:00 PM Eastern Time (8:00 PM Central) (7:00 PM Mountain) (6:00 PM Pacific), stop whatever you are doing and spend one minute praying for the safety of the United States, our troops, our citizens, and for a return to a Godly nation. If you know anyone else who would like to participate, please pass this along. Our prayers are the most powerful asset we have. Please forward this to your praying friends.

Oh! on what a sea of sorrowWas the Virgin-Mother cast,When her eyes with tears o'erflowingGazed upon her Son aghast,From the bloodstained gibbet taken,Dying in her arms at last.

In her bitter desolation,His sweet mouth, His bosom too,Then His riven side beloved,Then each hand, both wounded through,Then His feet, with blood encrimsoned,Her maternal tears bedew.

She, a hundred times and over,Strains Him closely to her breastHeart to Heart, arms arms enfolding,Are His wounds on her impressed:Thus, in sorrow's very kisses,Melts her anguished soul to rest.

Oh, dear Mother! we beseech thee,By the tears thine eyes have shed,By the cruel death of JesusAnd His wounds' right royal red,Make our hearts o'erflow with sorrowFrom thy heart's deep fountainhead.

To the Father, Son, and Spirit,Now we bend on equal knee:Glory, sempiternal glory,To the Most High Trinity;Yea! perpetual praise and honorNow and through all ages be.

Novena Prayer To Our Sorrowful Mother

Most Blessed and afflicted Virgin, Queen of Martyrs, who didst stand generously beneath the cross, beholding the agony of thy dying Son; by the sword of sorrow which then pierced thy soul, by the sufferings of thy sorrowful life, by the unutterable joy which now more than repays thee for them; look down with a mother's pity and tenderness, as I kneel before thee to compassionate thy sorrows, and to lay my petition with childlike confidence in thy wounded heart. I beg of thee, O my Mother, to plead continually for me with thy Son, since He can refuse thee nothing, and through the merits of His most sacred Passion and Death, together with thy own sufferings at the foot of the cross, so to touch His Sacred Heart, that I may obtain my request, For to whom shall I fly in my wants and miseries, if not to thee, O Mother of mercy, who, having so deeply drunk the chalice of thy Son, canst most pity us poor exiles, still doomed to sigh in this vale of tears? Offer to Jesus but one drop of His Precious Blood, but one pang of His adorable Heart; remind Him that thou art our life, our sweetness, and our hope, and thou wilt obtain what I ask, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Hail Mary Virgin Most Sorrowful, pray for us(Seven times each)

Mary, most holy Virgin and Queen of Martyrs, accept the sincere homage of my filial affection. Into thy Heart, pierced by so many swords, do thou welcome my poor soul. Receive it as the companion of thy sorrows at the foot of the Cross, on which Jesus died for the redemption of the world. With thee, O sorrowful Virgin, I will gladly suffer all the trials, contradictions, and infirmities which it shall please Our Lord to send me. I offer them all to thee in memory of thy sorrows, so that: every thought of my mind and every beat of my heart may be an act of compassion and of love for thee. And do thou, sweet Mother, have pity on me, reconcile me to thy Divine Son, Jesus; keep me in His grace and assist me in my last agony, so that I may be able to meet thee in Heaven and sing thy glories.

Most holy Virgin and Mother, whose soul was pierced by a sword of sorrow in the Passion of thy Divine Son, and who in His glorious Resurrection wast filled with never ending joy at His triumph, obtain for us who call upon thee, so to be partakers in the adversities of Holy Church and the Sorrows of the Sovereign Pontiff, as to be found worthy to rejoice with them in the consolations for which we pray, in the charity and peace of the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

Litany of the Seven Sorrows

For private use only.

Lord, have mercy on us.Christ, have mercy on us.Lord, have mercy on us.Christ, hear us.Christ, graciously hear us.

God the Father of Heaven,Have mercy on us.God the Son, Redeemer of the world,Have mercy on us.God the Holy Spirit,Have mercy on us.Holy Trinity, One God,Have mercy on us.

Holy Mary,Pray for us.Holy Mother of God,Pray for us.Holy Virgin of virgins, etc.Mother crucified,Mother sorrowful,Mother tearful,Mother afflicted,Mother forsaken,Mother desolate,Mother bereft of thy Child,Mother transfixed with the sword,Mother consumed with grief,Mother filled with anguish,Mother crucified in heart,Mother most sad,Fountain of tears,Abyss of suffering,Mirror of patience,Rock of constancy,Anchor of confidence,Refuge of the forsaken,Shield of the oppressed,Subduer of the unbelieving,Comfort of the afflicted,Medicine of the sick,Strength of the weak,Harbor of the wrecked,Allayer of tempests,Resource of mourners,Terror of the treacherous,Treasure of the faithful,Eye of the Prophets,Staff of the Apostles,Crown of Martyrs,Light of confessors,Pearl of virgins,Consolation of widows,Joy of all Saints,

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,Spare us, O Lord.Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,Graciously hear us, O Lord.Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,Have mercy on us.

Look down upon us, deliver us, and save us from all trouble,in the power of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Let Us Pray.Imprint, O Lady, thy wounds upon my heart, that I may read therein sorrow and love--- sorrow to endure every sorrow for thee, love to despise every love for thee. Amen.

Conclude with the Apostles Creed, Hail Holy Queen, and three Hail Marys,in honor of the Most Holy Heart of Mary.

O Blessed Virgin Mary, Immaculate Mother of God, who didst endure a martyrdom of love and grief beholding the sufferings and sorrows of Jesus! Thou didst cooperate in the benefit of my redemption by thine innumerable afflictions and by offering to the Eternal Father His only begotten Son as a holocaust and victim of propitiation for my sins. I thank thee for the unspeakable love which led thee to deprive thyself of the Fruit of thy womb, Jesus, true God and true Man, to save me, a sinner. Oh, make use of the unfailing intercession of thy sorrows with the Father and the Son, that I may steadfastly amend my life and never again crucify my loving Redeemer by new sins, and that, persevering till death in His grace. I may obtain eternal life through the merits of His Cross and Passion. Amen.

Mother of love, of sorrow and of mercy, pray for us.

Saint Alphonsus Liguori's Prayer To The Mother Of Sorrows

O, my Blessed Mother, it is not one sword only with which I have pierced thy heart, but I have done so with as many as are the sins which I have committed. O, Lady, it is not to thee, who art innocent, that sufferings are due, but to me, who am guilty of so many crimes. But since thou hast been pleased to suffer so much for me, by thy merits, obtain me great sorrow for my sins, and patience under the trials of this life, which will always be light in comparison with my demerits; for I have often deserved Hell. Amen.

General Intention:That politicians may always act with honesty, integrity, and love for the truth.

Missionary Intention:Help for the Poorest Churches. That Christian communities may have a growing willingness to send missionaries, priests, and lay people, along with concrete resources, to the poorest Churches.

The Angel of the Lord declared to Mary: And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Behold the handmaid of the Lord: Be it done unto me according to Thy word.

Hail Mary . . .

And the Word was made Flesh: And dwelt among us.

Hail Mary . . .

Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray:

Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection, through the same Christ Our Lord.

Ant. Come, Let us give thanks to the Lord for Gods great love is without end.

Psalm 95

Come, let us sing to the Lord and shout with joy to the Rock who saves us. Let us approach him with praise and thanksgiving and sing joyful songs to the Lord.

Ant. Come, Let us give thanks to the Lord for Gods great love is without end.

The Lord is God, the mighty God, the great king over all the gods. He holds in his hands the depths of the earth and the highest mountains as well He made the sea; it belongs to him, the dry land, too, for it was formed by his hands.

Ant. Come, Let us give thanks to the Lord for Gods great love is without end.

Come, then, let us bow down and worship, bending the knee before the Lord, our maker, For he is our God and we are his people, the flock he shepherds.

Ant. Come, Let us give thanks to the Lord for Gods great love is without end.

Today, listen to the voice of the Lord: Do not grow stubborn, as your fathers did in the wilderness, when at Meriba and Massah they challenged me and provoked me, Although they had seen all of my works.

Ant. Come, Let us give thanks to the Lord for Gods great love is without end.

Forty years I endured that generation. I said, They are a people whose hearts go astray and they do not know my ways. So I swore in my anger, They shall not enter into my rest.

Ant. Come, Let us give thanks to the Lord for Gods great love is without end.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Come, Let us give thanks to the Lord for Gods great love is without end.

19
posted on 09/28/2012 3:14:59 AM PDT
by markomalley
(Nothing emboldens the wicked so greatly as the lack of courage on the part of the good -- Leo XIII)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Rise up, Lord, and come to my aid.

Ant. 2 All-powerful Lord, stand by me and defend me.

II

When they were sick I went into mourning, afflicted with fasting. My prayer was ever on my lips, as for a brother, a friend. I went as though mourning a mother, bowed down with grief.

Now that I am in trouble they gather, they gather and mock me. They take me by surprise and strike me and tear me to pieces. They provoke me with mockery on mockery and gnash their teeth.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. All-powerful Lord, stand by me and defend me.

Ant. 3 My tongue will speak of your goodness all the day long.

III

O Lord, how long will you look on? Come to my rescue! Save my life from these raging beasts, my soul from these lions. I will thank you in the great assembly, amid the throng I will praise you.

Do not let my lying foes rejoice over me. Do not let those who hate me unjustly wink eyes at each other.

O Lord, you have seen, do not be silent, do not stand afar off! Awake, stir to my defense, to my cause, O God!

Let there be joy for those who love my cause. Let them say without end: Great is the Lord who delights in the peace of his servant. Then my tongue shall speak of your justice, all day long of your praise.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-prayer

Lord, you rescue the poor from their oppressors, and you rose to the aid of your beloved Son against those who unjustly sought his life. Look on your Church as we journey to you, that the poor and weak may recognize the help you provide and proclaim your saving acts.

Ant. My tongue will speak of your goodness all the day long.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell)  a moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

My son, take my words to heart. Do as I say, and you will live.

READINGS

First reading From the book of the prophet Ezekiel 40:1-4; 43:1-12; 44:6-9 The vision of the restoration of Israel and the temple

On the tenth day of the month beginning the twenty-fifth year of our exile, fourteen years after the city was taken, that very day the hand of the Lord came upon me and brought me in divine visions to the land of Israel, where he set me down on a very high mountain. On it there seemed to be a city being built before me.

When he had brought me there, all at once I saw a man whose appearance was that of bronze; he was standing in the gate, holding a linen cord and a measuring rod. The man said to me, Son of man, look carefully and listen intently, and pay strict attention to all that I will show you, for you have been brought here so that I might show it to you. Tell the house of Israel all that you see.

Then he led me to the gate which faces the east, and there I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east. I heard a sound like the roaring of many waters, and the earth shone with his glory. The vision was like that which I had seen when he came to destroy the city, and like that which I had seen by the river Chebar. I fell prone as the glory of the Lord entered the temple by way of the gate which faces the east, but spirit lifted me up and brought me to the inner court. And I saw that the temple was filled with the glory of the Lord.

Then I heard someone speaking to me from the temple, while the man stood beside me. The voice said to me: Son of man, this is where my throne shall be, this is where I will set the soles of my feet; here I will dwell among the Israelites forever. Never again shall they and their kings profane my holy name with their harlotries and with the corpses of their kings [their high places]. When they placed their threshold against my threshold and their doorpost next to mine, so that only a wall was between us, they profaned my holy name by their abominable deeds; therefore I consumed them in my wrath. From now on they shall put far from me their harlotry and the corpses of their kings, and I will dwell in their midst forever.

As for you, son of man, describe the temple to the house of Israel [that they may be ashamed of their sins], both its measurements and its design; [and if they are ashamed of all that they have done,] make known to them the form and design of the temple, its exits and entrances, all its statutes and laws; write these down for them to see, that they may carefully observe all its laws and statutes. This is the law of the temple: its whole surrounding area on the mountain top shall be most sacred.

Say to that rebellious house, the house of Israel: Thus says the Lord God: Enough of all these abominations of yours, O house of Israel! You have admitted foreigners, uncircumcised both in heart and flesh, to my sanctuary to profane it when you offered me food, fat, and blood; thus you have broken my covenant by all your abominations. Instead of caring for the service of my temple, you have appointed such as these to serve me in my sanctuary in your stead. Thus says the Lord God: No foreigners, uncircumcised in heart and in flesh, shall ever enter my sanctuary; none of the foreigners who live among the Israelites.

RESPONSORY Ezekiel 43:4-5; see Luke 2:27

The glory of the Lord entered the temple by the eastward gate, and the house of God was filled with his splendor.

His parents took the Child Jesus into the temple. And the house of God was filled with his splendor.

Second reading From a sermon On Pastors by Saint Augustine, bishopAll good shepherds are one in the one shepherd

Christ is your shepherd and judge; he judges between his own sheep and other sheep. My sheep, he says, hear my voice and follow me.

In this statement I find that all good shepherds are one in the one shepherd. It is not that good shepherds are lacking; they are there in the one shepherd. When we speak of many we refer to those who are divided from each other. Here only one is spoken of, because in this passage unity is commended. The reason why shepherds are not mentioned here but only one shepherd, is not because the Lord has failed to find anyone to whom to entrust his sheep; he entrusted the sheep to Peter because he had found Peter. Indeed, in the case of Peter he also commended the unity of the flock. There were many apostles, and yet to one only did he say: Feed my sheep. Do not imagine that there will be no more good shepherds, or that we shall find them lacking, or that the Lords mercy will not produce and establish them.

Certainly, if there are good sheep there are also good shepherds; good sheep give rise to good shepherds. But all good shepherds are one in the one good shepherd; they form a unity. If only they feed the sheep, Christ is feeding the sheep. The friends of the bridegroom do not speak with their own voice, but they take great joy in listening to the bridegrooms voice. Christ himself is the shepherd when they act as shepherds. I feed them, he says, because his voice is in their voice, his love in their love.

When he entrusted his sheep to Peter as one person to another, Christ chose to make Peter one with himself. He wanted to entrust him with the sheep in such a way that he himself might be the head and Peter might represent the body, that is, the Church. As bridegroom and bride, Christ and the Church were to be two in one flesh.

Accordingly, what does he say before he entrusts the sheep to Peter as to someone who is not separate from himself? Peter, do you love me? He answered: I love you. And again: Do you love me? He answered: I love you. And a third time: Do you love me? He answered: I love you. He receives an assurance of love in order to establish unity. Christ is the one shepherd who is one with the other shepherds, and in whom they themselves are one.

Shepherds are not mentioned, but they are not passed over. Shepherds have cause for pride, but if anyone boasts it should be in the Lord. This means that Christ should be the shepherd, that they should be shepherds for Christ, shepherds in Christ, not shepherds for themselves, apart from Christ. When the prophet said: I will feed my sheep, it was not because of a lack of shepherds, as though he were foretelling those evil times to come and saying: I have no one to whom I can entrust my sheep. At a time when Peter himself, and the apostles too, were alive in the body, Christ, the one in whom alone all are one, said this: I have other sheep that are not of this sheepfold; I must bring them in as well, so that there may be one flock and one shepherd.

All shepherds should therefore be one in the one good shepherd. All should speak with the one voice of the one shepherd, so that the sheep may hear and follow their shepherd; not this or that shepherd, but the one shepherd. All should speak with one voice in Christ, not with different voices. Brethren, I beg all of you to say the same thing, and to have no dissensions among you. The sheep should hear this voice, a voice purified from all schism, freed from all heresy, and so follow their shepherd, who says: My sheep hear my voice and follow me.

RESPONSORY

Do not abandon your flock, O Lord; you are our good shepherd; you never sleep, you watch over us always.

With your loving mercy, O Lord, protect us from our deceitful enemy, the devil. You are our good shepherd; you never sleep, you watch over us always.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

O God, who founded all the commands of your sacred Law upon love of you and of our neighbor, grant that, by keeping your precepts, we may merit to attain eternal life. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

ACCLAMATION (only added when praying in community)

Let us praise the Lord. And give him thanks.

20
posted on 09/28/2012 3:15:08 AM PDT
by markomalley
(Nothing emboldens the wicked so greatly as the lack of courage on the part of the good -- Leo XIII)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

HYMN

From all that dwell below the skies, let the Creators praise arise! Alleluia! alleluia! Let the Redeemers Name be sung through every land, by every tongue! Alleluia! alleluia! alleluia! Alleluia! alleluia!

In every land begin the song; To every land the strains belong; Alleluia! alleluia! In cheerful sounds all voices raise, And fill the world with loudest praise. Alleluia! alleluia! alleluia! Alleluia! alleluia!

For in sacrifice you take no delight, burnt offering from me you would refuse, my sacrifice, a contrite spirit, a humbled, contrite heart you will not spurn.

In your goodness, show favor to Zion: rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Then you will be pleased with lawful sacrifice, holocausts offered on your altar.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-prayer

Father, he who knew no sin was made sin for us, to save us and restore us to your friendship. Look upon our contrite heart and afflicted spirit and heal our troubled conscience, so that in the joy and strength of the Holy Spirit we may proclaim your praise and glory before all the nations.

Ant. Lord, you will accept the true sacrifice offered on your altar.

Ant. 2 All the descendants of Israel will glory in the Lords gift of victory.

Canticle  Isaiah 45:15-25 People of all nations will become disciples of the Lord Every knee shall bend at the name of Jesus (Philippians 2:10).

Truly with you God is hidden, the God of Israel, the savior! Those are put to shame and disgrace who vent their anger against him. Those go in disgrace who carve images.

Israel, you are saved by the Lord, saved forever! You shall never be put to shame or disgrace in future ages.

For thus says the Lord, the creator of the heavens, who is God, the designer and maker of the earth who established it, not creating it to be a waste, but designing it to be lived in:

I am the Lord, and there is no other. I have not spoken from hiding nor from some dark place of the earth. And I have not said to the descendants of Jacob, Look for me in an empty waste. I, the Lord, promise justice, I foretell what is right.

Come and assemble, gather together, you fugitives from among the Gentiles! They are without knowledge who bear wooden idols and pray to gods that cannot save.

Come here and declare in counsel together: Who announced this from the beginning and foretold it from of old? Was it not I, the Lord, besides whom there is no other God? There is no just and saving God but me.

Turn to me and be safe, all you ends of the earth, for I am God; there is no other!

By myself I swear, uttering my just decree and my unalterable word:

To me every knee shall bend; by me every tongue shall swear, saying, Only in the Lord are just deeds and power.

Before him in shame shall come all who vent their anger against him. In the Lord shall be the vindication and the glory of all the descendants of Israel.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. All the descendants of Israel will glory in the Lords gift of victory.

Ant. 3 Let us go into Gods presence singing for joy.

Psalm 100 The joyful song of those entering Gods temple The Lord calls his ransomed people to sing songs of victory (Saint Athanasius).

Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth. Serve the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing for joy.

Know that he, the Lord, is God. He made us, we belong to him, we are his people, the sheep of his flock.

Go within his gates, giving thanks. Enter his courts with songs of praise. Give thanks to him and bless his name.

Indeed, how good is the Lord, eternal his merciful love. He is faithful from age to age.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-prayer

With joy and gladness we cry out to you, Lord, and ask you: open our hearts to sing your praises and announce your goodness and truth.

Ant. Let us go into Gods presence singing for joy.

READING Ephesians 4:29-32

Never let evil talk pass your lips; say only the good things men need to hear, things that will really help them. Do nothing that will sadden the Holy Spirit with whom you were sealed against the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, all passion and anger, harsh words, slander, and malice of every kind. In place of these, be kind to one another, compassionate, and mutually forgiving, just as God has forgiven you in Christ.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell)  a moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

RESPONSORY

At daybreak, be merciful to me. At daybreak, be merciful to me.

Make known to me the path that I must walk. Be merciful to me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, At daybreak, be merciful to me.

CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH

Ant. The Lord has come to his people and set them free.

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; he has come to his people and set them free. He has raised up for us a mighty savior, born of the house of his servant David.

Through his holy prophets he promised of old that he would save us from our enemies, from the hands of all who hate us. He promised to show mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant.

This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham: to set us free from the hands of our enemies, free to worship him without fear, holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.

You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way, to give his people knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins.

In the tender compassion of our God the dawn from on high shall break upon us, to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. The Lord has come to his people and set them free.

INTERCESSIONS

Through his cross the Lord Jesus brought salvation to the human race. We adore him and in faith we call out to him: Lord, pour out your mercy upon us.

Christ, Rising Sun, warm us with your rays, and restrain us from every evil impulse. Lord, pour out your mercy upon us.

Keep guard over our thoughts, words and actions, and make us pleasing in your sight this day. Lord, pour out your mercy upon us.

Turn your gaze from our sinfulness, and cleanse us from our iniquities. Lord, pour out your mercy upon us.

Through your cross and resurrection, fill us with the consolation of the Spirit. Lord, pour out your mercy upon us.

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Concluding Prayer

God our Father, you conquer the darkness of ignorance by the light of your Word. Strengthen within our hearts the faith you have given us; let not temptation ever quench the fire that your love has kindled within us. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

DISMISSAL

May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.

21
posted on 09/28/2012 3:15:15 AM PDT
by markomalley
(Nothing emboldens the wicked so greatly as the lack of courage on the part of the good -- Leo XIII)

Make me grasp the way of your precepts and I will muse on your wonders. My soul pines away with grief; by your word raise me up.

Keep me from the way of error and teach me your law. I have chosen the way of truth with your decrees before me.

I bind myself to do your will; Lord, do not disappoint me. I will run the way of your commands; you give freedom to my heart.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-prayer

Lord, we are citizens of this earth and ask to be made citizens of heaven by your free gift. Help us to run in the way of your commandments and to set our hearts on you alone.

Ant. Lightly I run in the way you have shown, for you have opened my heart to receive your law.

Ant. 2 I trust in the Lord and will not be shaken.

Psalm 26 Trusting prayer of an innocent man God chose us in Christ to be holy and sinless (Ephesians 1:4).

Give judgment for me, O Lord: for I walk the path of perfection. I trust in the Lord; I have not wavered.

Examine me, Lord, and try me; O test my heart and my mind, for your love is before my eyes and I walk according to your truth.

I never take my place with liars and with hypocrites I shall not go. I hate the evil-doers company: I will not take my place with the wicked.

To prove my innocence I wash my hands and take my place around your altar, singing a song of thanksgiving, proclaiming all your wonders.

O Lord, I love the house where you dwell, the place where your glory abides.

Do not sweep me away with sinners, nor my life with bloodthirsty men in whose hands are evil plots, whose right hands are filled with gold.

As for me, I walk the path of perfection. Redeem me and show me your mercy. My foot stands on level ground: I will bless the Lord in the assembly.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-prayer

Send the fire of your Holy Spirit deep within us, Lord, so that we can serve you with chaste bodies and please you with pure minds.

Ant. I trust in the Lord and will not be shaken.

Ant. 3 I put all my trust in the Lord, and he has not failed me.

Psalm 28 Entreaty and thanksgiving Father, I thank you, for you have heard my prayer ( John 11:41).

To you, O Lord, I call, my rock, hear me. If you do not heed I shall become like those in the grave.

Hear the voice of my pleading as I call for help, as I lift up my hands in prayer to your holy place.

Do not drag me away with the wicked, with the evil-doers, who speak words of peace to their neighbors but with evil in their hearts.

Blessed be the Lord for he has heard my cry, my appeal. The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts. I was helped, my heart rejoices and I praise him with my song.

The Lord is the strength of his people, a fortress where his anointed find salvation. Save your people; bless Israel your heritage. Be their shepherd and carry them for ever.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-prayer

You are the strength of the people, Father. Save us from the pit of death and unite us as one in your holy temple, so that we may attain in our hearts the peace our tongues proclaim.

Ant. I put all my trust in the Lord, and he has not failed me.

READING 2 Corinthians 13:4

It is true he was crucified out of weakness, but he lives by the power of God. We too are weak in him, but we live with him by Gods power in us.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell)  a moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

I am broken, crushed to the earth. Speak, Lord, your word of life.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Lord Jesus Christ, at noon, when darkness covered all the earth, you mounted the wood of the cross as the innocent victim for our redemption. May your light be always with us to guide us to eternal life in that kingdom where you live and reign for ever and ever. Amen.

ACCLAMATION (only added when praying in community)

Let us praise the Lord. And give him thanks.

22
posted on 09/28/2012 3:15:23 AM PDT
by markomalley
(Nothing emboldens the wicked so greatly as the lack of courage on the part of the good -- Leo XIII)

Psalm 41 Prayer of a sick person One of you will betray me, yes, one who eats with me (Mark 14:18).

Happy the man who considers the poor and the weak. The Lord will save him in the day of evil, will guard him, give him life, make him happy in the land and will not give him up to the will of his foes. The Lord will help him on his bed of pain, he will bring him back from sickness to health.

As for me, I said: Lord, have mercy on me, heal my soul for I have sinned against you. My foes are speaking evil against me. how long before he dies and his name be forgotten? They come to visit me and speak empty words, their hearts full of malice, they spread it abroad.

My enemies whisper together against me. They all weigh up the evil which is on me. Some deadly thing has fastened upon him, he will not rise again from where he lies. Thus even my friend, in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has turned against me.

But you, O Lord, have mercy on me. Let me rise once more and I will repay them. By this I shall know that you are my friend, if my foes do not shout in triumph over me. If you uphold me I shall be unharmed and set in your presence for ever more.

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel from age to age. Amen. Amen.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-prayer

Lord Jesus, healer of soul and body, you said: Blessed are the merciful, they will obtain mercy. Teach us to come to the aid of the needy in a spirit of brotherly love, that we in turn may be received and strengthened by you.

Ant. Lord, lay your healing hand upon me, for I have sinned.

Ant. 2 The mighty Lord is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold.

God is for us a refuge and strength, a helper close at hand, in time of distress, so we shall not fear though the earth should rock, though the mountains fall into the depths of the sea; even though its waters rage and foam, even though the mountains be shaken by its waves.

The Lord of hosts is with us: the God of Jacob is our stronghold.

The waters of a river give joy to Gods city, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within, it cannot be shaken; God will help it at the dawning of the day. Nations are in tumult, kingdoms are shaken: he lifts his voice, the earth shrinks away.

The Lord of hosts is with us: the God of Jacob is our stronghold.

Come, consider the works of the Lord, the redoubtable deeds he has done on the earth. He puts an end to wars over all the earth; the bow he breaks, the spear he snaps. (He burns the shields with fire.) Be still and know that I am God, supreme among the nations, supreme on the earth!

The Lord of hosts is with us: the God of Jacob is our stronghold.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-prayer

All-powerful Father, the refuge and strength of your people, you protect in adversity and defend in prosperity those who put their trust in you. May they persevere in seeking your will and find their way to you through obedience.

Ant. The mighty Lord is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold.

Ant. 3 All nations will come and worship before you, O Lord.

Canticle  Revelation 15:3-4 Hymn of adoration

Mighty and wonderful are your works, Lord God Almighty! Righteous and true are your ways, O King of the nations!

Who would dare refuse you honor, or the glory due your name, O Lord?

Since you alone are holy, all nations shall come and worship in your presence. Your mighty deeds are clearly seen.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. All nations will come and worship before you, O Lord.

READING Romans 15:1-3

We who are strong in faith should be patient with the scruples of those whose faith is weak; we must not be selfish. Each should please his neighbor so as to do him good by building up his spirit. Thus, in accord with Scripture, Christ did not please himself: The reproaches they uttered against you fell on me. Everything written before our time was written for our instruction, that we might derive hope from the lessons of patience and the words of encouragement in the Scriptures. May God, the source of all patience and encouragement, enable you to live in perfect harmony with one another according to the spirit of Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and voice you may glorify God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell)  a moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

RESPONSORY

Christ loved us and washed away our sins, in his own blood. Christ loved us and washed away our sins, in his own blood.

He made us a nation of kings and priests, in his own blood.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, Christ loved us and washed away our sins, in his own blood.

CANTICLE OF MARY

Ant. The Lord has come to the help of his servants, for he has remembered his promise of mercy.

Luke 1:46-55 The soul rejoices in the Lord

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.

From this day all generations will call me blessed: the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name.

He has mercy on those who fear him in every generation.

He has shown the strength of his arm, he has scattered the proud in their conceit.

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel for he has remembered his promise of mercy, the promise he made to our fathers, to Abraham and his children for ever.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. The Lord has come to the help of his servants, for he has remembered his promise of mercy.

INTERCESSIONS

Blessed be God, who hears the prayers of the needy, and fills the hungry with good things. Let us pray to him in confidence: Lord, show us your mercy.

Merciful Father, upon the cross Jesus offered you the perfect evening sacrifice, we pray now for all the suffering members of his Church. Lord, show us your mercy.

Release those in bondage, give sight to the blind, shelter the widow and the orphan. Lord, show us your mercy.

Clothe your faithful people in the armor of salvation, and shield them from the deceptions of the devil. Lord, show us your mercy.

Let your merciful presence be with us, Lord, at the hour of our death, may we be found faithful and leave this world in your peace. Lord, show us your mercy.

Lead the departed into the light of your dwelling-place, that they may gaze upon you for all eternity. Lord, show us your mercy.

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Concluding Prayer

God our Father, help us to follow the example of your Sons patience in suffering. By sharing the burden he carries, may we come to share his glory in the kingdom where he lives with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

DISMISSAL

May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.

23
posted on 09/28/2012 3:15:32 AM PDT
by markomalley
(Nothing emboldens the wicked so greatly as the lack of courage on the part of the good -- Leo XIII)

General instruction: Please pray with us actively, especially by joining with us in saying antiphons and responses, most of which are indicated in this highlight.

Consider an examination of your own conscience before beginning to best make use of our time together in prayer.

Night Prayer for Friday

God, come to my assistance. Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

Examination of conscience:

We are called to have a clear conscience toward God and toward men, in our hearts and in our minds, in our actions and inactions. To do so, it is vital that we examine our conscience daily and to ask for Gods mercy as we fall short and to ask for His strength to do better.

I confess to almighty God, and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do, And, striking your breast, say: through my own fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault; Then continue: therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-virgin, all the Angels and Saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God. With a priest present, this absolution will be given: May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life. The people reply:Amen

HYMN

Peace be to you and grace from Him Who freed us from our sin Who loved us all, and shed his blood That we might saved be. Sing holy, holy to our Lord The Lord almighty God Who was and is, and is to come Sing holy, holy Lord. Rejoice in heaven, all ye that dwell therein Rejoice on earth, ye saints below For Christ is coming, Is coming soon For Christ is coming soon. Een so Lord Jesus quickly come And night shall be no more They need no light, no lamp, nor sun For Christ will be their All!

Een So, Lord Jesus, Quickly Come by Choir of The Cathedral of the Madeleine & The Madeleine Choir School

St. Wenceslaus was a duke, martyr, and is the patron of Bohemia, born probably 903; died at Alt-Bunzlau, September 28, 935.

His parents were Duke Wratislaw, a Christian, and Dragomir, a heathen. He received a good Christian education from his grandmother (St. Ludmilla) and at Budweis. After the death of Wratislaw, Dragomir, acting as regent, opposed Christianity, and Wenceslaus, being urged by the people, took the reins of government. He placed his duchy under the protection of Germany, introduced German priests, and favoured the Latin rite instead of the old Slavic, which had gone into disuse in many places for want of priests. Wenceslaus had taken the vow of virginity and was known for his virtues. The Emperor Otto I conferred on him the regal dignity and title. For religious and national motives, and at the instigation of Dragomir, Wenceslaus was murdered by his brother Boleslaw. The body, hacked to pieces, was buried at the place of murder, but three years later Boleslaw, having repented of his deed, ordered its translation to the Church of St. Vitus in Prague. The gathering of his relics is noted in the calendars on June 27, their translation on March 4; his feast is celebrated on 28 September.

Collect:O God, who taught the Martyr Saint Wenceslausto place the heavenly Kingdom before an earthly one,grant through his prayers that, denying ourselves,we may hold fast to you with all your heart.Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,one God, for ever and ever. +Amen.

Readings:First Reading: 1 Peter 3.:14-17But even if you do suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts reverence Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to make a defense to any one who calls you to account for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and reverence; and keep your conscience clear, so that, when you are abused, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing right, if that should be God's will, than for doing wrong.

Gospel Reading: Matthew 10:34-39"Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man's foes will be those of his own household. He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and he who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it.

Saint Lawrence was a devoted husband and father of three children in the Philippines. After being wrongfully accused of murder, he fled with Christian missionaries to Japan where he was tortured and killed for the faith. He died professing: "I shall die for God, and for Him I would give many thousands of lives if I had them."

Collect:Grant us, we pray, Lord God,the same perseverance shown by your MartyrsSaint Lawrence Ruiz and his companionsin serving you and their neighbor,since those persecuted for the sake of righteousnessare blessed in your Kingdom.Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,one God, for ever and ever. +Amen.

Readings: From the Common of Martrys

History:

1633, (August and October)

DOMINIC IBANEZ DE ERQUICIA: Spanish Dominican priest, born in Regil (San Sebastian) member of the Province of Spain at first, and afterwards of the Holy Rosary Province. Taught at St. Tomas College (Manila) and preached in various parts of the Philippines. In 1623 he went to Japan where he worked incognito. Denounced to the authorities by a Christian apostate, he was subsequently imprisoned and put to death. He played a very important role as Vicar Provincial to the missions. Part of his letters have been conserved. Age 44.

FRANCIS SHOYEMON: Japanese, Dominican Cooperator Brother. He was a companion of Domingo Ibanez in his apostolate. Arrested in 1633, he received the Dominican habit while in prison. He was killed together with this spiritual father.

JAMES KYUSHEI TOMONAGA OF ST. MARY: Japanese, Dominican priest. Born of a noble Christian family of Kyudetsu, he studied at the Jesuits' College at Nagasaki. He was expelled from Japan in 1614, because he was working as a catechist. He preached in Manila and Taiwan, but in 1632 he returned to his native land to help his fellow Christians. He was arrested, tortured and later killed, "because he was a religious and propagated the faith". He was 51 years, the oldest of the group.

MICHAEL KUROBIOYE: Japanese, lay catechist. He was a companion of Fr. James of St. Mary. When he was imprisoned and tortured, he revealed the hiding place of Fr. James. Soon repenting of what he had done, he joined his companion in his martyrdom, confessing his faith.

LUCAS ALONSO OF THE HOLY SPIRIT: Spanish, Dominican priest, born in Carracedo (Astorga) a son of the Spanish Dominican Province, he joined the Holy Rosary Province in 1617, thus becoming a missionary. After teaching at St. Tomas in Manila and preaching in Cagayan, he went to Japan in 1623 and worked there, encountering great risks and hardships for ten years. He was arrested while in Osaka (1633) and killed in Nagasaki after being tortured. Age 39.

MATTHEW KOHIOYE OF THE ROSARY: Japanese of Arima, Brother of the Dominican Order. Catechist and helper of Blessed Lucas Alonso, he became a Dominican novice. He was arrested at Osaka in 1633, endured horrible torture but remained faithful to Christ until his death. Age 18.

1634, (October-November)

MAGDALENE OF NAGASAKI: Japanese, Augustinian and Dominican tertiary. Daughter of a martyred Christian couple, she consecrated herself to God. Her spiritual director was Fr. Ansalone. When the latter was arrested, she presented herself to the guards, declaring that she was a Christian. She was tortured in a cruel manner, but remained firm in her faith until she was hung on the gibbet where she died after thirteen days.

MARINA OF OMURA: Japanese, Dominican tertiary. Entered the Third Order in 1626 and was very helpful to the missionaries. She was arrested in 1634 and submitted to shameful humiliations, after which she was burned alive.

HYACINTH JORDAN ANSALONE: Italian, Dominican priest. Born at S. Stefano Quisquina (Agrigento), son of the Dominican Province of Sicily, afterwards joining the Holy Rosary Province. In the Philippines, he worked among the poor and the sick. He went to Japan in 1632 and worked there for two years. He was arrested in 1634 and had to undergo various tortures before dying on the gibbet. Age 36.

THOMAS HIOLI NISM OF ST. HYACINTH: Japanese, Dominican priest. Son of martyred Christians of Hirado, student at the Jesuits' college at Nagasaki. He emigrated to Manila in 1614 after being expelled on account of the persecution. Studied at St. Tomas College, then became a Dominican missionary in Taiwan. He returned later to Japan, where he preached for 5 years among great perils. He was then arrested, tortured and put to death. Age 44.

1637, September

In 1636, the Dominicans of Manila organized a missionary expedition with the intention of helping the Christians in Japan. As soon as they arrived in the island of Okinawa they were arrested and kept in prison for a year, after which they were transferred and condemned to death by the tribunal of Nagasaki.

ANTHONY GONZALEZ: Spanish, Dominican priest. Born in Leon (Spain), he became a Dominican in his native country, but, moving to Manila (1631) he joined the Holy Rosary Province. He taught at St. Tomas and later became its rector. In 1636 he led the group of missionaries going to Japan, but was soon arrested with the rest. He was a man of much prayer and penance. After a year he died in prison having endured the tortures inflicted upon him by the persecutors. Age 45.

WILLIAM COURTET OR THOMAS OF ST. DOMINIC: Born of noble parents in Serignan (France). He was a member of the Dominican Reformed Congregation of St. Louis but then joined the Holy Rosary Province and went to the Philippines where he taught at St. Tomas and later went to Japan. He also ended up on the gibbet, after a year of imprisonment, during which he endured horrible tortures. He died singing praise to the Blessed Virgin of the Rosary and psalms in the midst of torture. Age 47.

MICHAEL DE AOZARAZA: Spanish, Dominican priest. He was born in Onate (Spain) and became a member of the Province of Spain, but later joined the Holy Rosary Province. He worked in the mission of Bataan (Luzon - Philippines). He refused to give up his faith and accepted with joy tremendous suffering. Age 39.

VINCENT SCHIWOZUKA OF THE CROSS: Japanese, Dominican priest. Son of a Christian family, he was a student at the Jesuits' College and a catechist. He was expelled from Japan in 1614. He later became a priest in Manila and worked among the Japanese exiles. Before returning to his native land (1636) he received the Dominican habit. After a year of imprisonment the tortures induced him to apostatize, but he soon returned to the faith and died as a martyr on the gibbet.

LAZARO OF KYOTO: Japanese, layman. He contracted leprosy and was deported to the Philippines with other lepers. In 1636 he joined Gonzalez as his guide and interpreter. Not resisting to the tortures Lazaro apostatized for a few hours but then repented and died for Christ together with the others.

LAWRENCE Ruiz: Filipino, layman. Born in Binondo (Manila) of a Chinese Father and a Filipino mother, he received his education from the Dominicans, becoming a member of the Rosary Confraternity. He married and fathered three children. Becoming involved in some obscure incident with bloodshed, he joined the missionary expedition in order to escape. He was arrested and endured all kinds of tortures until his death. He thus becomes the Protomartyr of the Philippines.

Miracle proposed for the Canonization

Occurred in Manila in the year 1983 through the intercession of the group in favour of Cecilia Alegria Policarpio, child - 2 years old, cured completely of brain's paralysis without any effective therapy. The miracle was recognized by John Paul II on 1st June, 1987.

The reason why Christians were persecuted

"The followers of Christ, arriving unexpectedly in Japan, not only came here carrying their goods, but also, without any permission, have spread and propagated their wicked law, destroying the good and legitimate one and plotting to overthrow authority in the country. This is the beginning of great calamity, which we should avoid by all means. Japan is a Shintoist and Buddhist country, which venerates the gods, honours Buddha, and respects the 'way of benevolence' (Confucius).

The followers of the Fathers (the Christians) have all disobeyed the orders already given by the government despising religion ... and destroying the good. They are overjoyed when they see those about to be executed; they run after them wherever they go and adore them ... Such is the supreme ideal of this religion. Unless it is suppressed immediately, endless misfortunes will fall on the State. In all the regions of Japan, all these Christians should be eliminated without any delay ... If anyone dares contravene this order, he will be put to death ......

(Extracts of the 1614 Edict, substantially alike those of 1633, 1636).

St. Lawrence Ruiz and Companions

Feast Day: September 28 Born: (around) 1575 :: Died: 1637

Today we celebrate the feast of St. Lawrence Ruiz, from the Philippines and his fifteen companions.

Born in Manila, in the Philippines, St. Lorenzo was the father of a family. He left his wife and children to join a few Dominican priests, brothers and lay volunteers who were going on a mission to Japan to preach the Gospel.

The group had nine Dominican priests, two brothers, two single lay women, and three other lay persons. All the people on the group were in some way connected with the Dominican order and were missionaries who had originally come from five nations - France, Italy, Japan, the Philippines and Spain.

When the persecution started they all chose to die rather than give up their faith in Jesus. These martyrs suffered greatly before they died, but despite their trials they would not give up their Catholic religion and remained faithful until the end.

St. Lawrence Ruiz told his judges that if he had a thousand lives to give for Christ, he would.

These sixteen martyrs were killed for their faith in 1637, in Nagasaki, Japan. What a wonderful reminder they are that the Church reaches out to the whole world.

This group of heroes was proclaimed saints by Pope John Paul II in1987.

18. And it came to pass, as he was alone praying, his disciples were with him: and he asked them, saying, Whom say the people that I am? 19. They answering said, John the Baptist; but some say, Elias; and others say, that one of the old prophets is risen again. 20. He said to them, But whom say you that I am? Peter answering said, The Christ of God. 21. And he straitly charged them, and commanded them to tell no man that thing; 22. Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and Chief Priests and Scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day.

CYRIL; Our Lord having retired from the multitude, and being in a place apart, was engaged in prayer. As it is said, And it came to pass, as he was alone praying. For He ordained Himself as an example of this, instructing His disciples by an easy' method of teaching. For I suppose the rulers of the people ought to be superior also in good deeds, to those that are under them, ever holding converse with them in all necessary things, and treating of those things in which God delights.

THEOPHYL; Now the disciples were with the Lord, but He alone prayed to the Father, since the saints may be joined to the Lord in the bond of faith and love, but the Son alone is able to penetrate the incomprehensible secrets of the Father's will. Every where then He prays alone, for human wishes comprehend not the counsel of God, nor can any one be a partaker with Christ of the deep things of God.

CYRIL; Now His engaging in prayer might perplex His disciples. For they saw Him praying like a man, Whom before they had seen performing miracles with divine power. In order then to banish all perplexity of this kind, He asks them this question, not because He did not know the reports which they had gathered from without, but that He might rid them of the opinion of the many, and instill into them the true faith. Hence it follows, And he asked them, saying, Whom say the people that I am?

THEOPHYL; Rightly does our Lord, when about to inquire into the faith of the disciples, first inquire into the opinion of the multitudes, lest their confession should appear not to be determined by their knowledge, but to be formed by the opinion of the generality, and they should be considered not to believe from experience, but like Herod to be perplexed by different reports which they heard.

AUG. Now it may raise a question, that Luke says that our Lord asked His disciples, Whom do men say that I am? at the same time that He was alone praying, and they also were with Him; whereas Mark says, that they were asked this question by our Lord on the way; but this is difficult only to him who never prayed on the way.

AMBROSE; But it is no trifling opinion of the multitude which the disciples mention, when it is added, But they answering said, John the Baptist, (whom they knew to be beheaded;) but some say, Elias, (whom they thought would come,) but others say that one of the old Prophets is risen again. But to make this inquiry belongs to a different kind of wisdom from ours, for if it were enough for the Apostle Paul to know nothing but Christ Jesus, and Him crucified, what more can I desire to know than Christ?

CYRIL; But mark the subtle skill of the question. For he directs them first to the praises of strangers, that having overthrown these, He might beget in them the right opinion. So when the disciples had given the opinion of the people, He asks them their own opinion; as it is added, And He said to them, Whom say you that I am? How marked is you! He excludes them from the other, that they may avoid their opinions; as if He said, you who by my decree are called to the Apostleship, the witnesses of my miracles, whom do you say that I am? But Peter anticipated the rest, and becomes the mouthpiece of the whole company, and launching forth into the eloquence of divine love, utters the confession of faith, as it is added, Peter answering said, The Christ of God. He says not merely that He was Christ of God, but now He uses the article. Hence it is in the Greek. For many divinely accounted persons are in diverse ways called Christs, for some were anointed kings, some prophets. But we through Christ have been anointed by the holy Spirit, have obtained the name of Christ. But there is only one who is the Christ of God and the Father, He alone as it were having His own Father who is in heaven. And so Luke agrees indeed in the same opinion as Matthew, who relates Peter to have said, You are Christ, the Son of the living God, but speaking briefly Luke says that Peter answered, the Christ of God.

AMBROSE; In this one name there is the expression both of His divinity and incarnation, and the belief of His passion. He has therefore comprehended every thing, having expressed both the nature and tile name wherein is all virtue.

CYRIL; But we must observe, that Peter most wisely confessed Christ to be one, against those who presumed to divide Immanuel into two Christs. For Christ did not inquire of them, saying, Whom do men say the divine Word is? but the Son of man, whom Peter confessed to be the Son of God. Herein then is Peter to be admired, and thought worthy of such chief honor, seeing that Him whom he marveled at in our form, he believed to be the Christ of the Father, that is to say, that the Word which proceeded of the Father's Substance was become man.

AMBROSE; But our Lord Jesus Christ was as at first unwilling to be preached, lest an uproar should arise; as it follows, And he straitly charged them, and commanded them to tell no man any thing. For many reasons He commands His disciples to be silent; to deceive the prince of this world, to reject boasting, to teach humility. Christ then would not boast, and cost you boast who are of ignoble birth? Likewise He did it to prevent rude and as yet imperfect disciples from being oppressed with the wonder of this awful announcement. They are then forbid to preach Him as the Son of God, that they might afterwards preach Him crucified.

CHRYS. Timely also was our Lord's command that no one should tell that He was Christ, in order that when offenses should be taken away and the sufferings of the cross completed, a proper opinion of Him might be firmly rooted in the minds of the hearers. For that which has once taken root and afterwards been torn up, when fresh planted will scarcely ever be preserved. But that which when once planted continues undisturbed, grows up securely. For if Peter was offended merely by what he heard, what would be the feelings of those many who, after they had heard that He was the Son of God, saw Him crucified, and spit upon?

CYRIL; It was the duty then of the disciples to preach Him throughout the world. For this was the work of those who were chosen by Him to the office of the Apostleship. But as holy Scripture bears witness, There is a time for every thing. For it was fitting that the cross and resurrection should be accomplished, an d then should follow the preaching of the Apostles; as it is spoken, saying, The Son of man must needs suffer many things.

AMBROSE; Perhaps because the Lord knew that the disciples would believe even the difficult mystery of the Passion and Resurrection, He wished to be Himself the proclaimer of His own Passion and Resurrection.

September is devoted to Our Lady of Sorrows. Pope Pius VII wrote the Litany of Our Lady of Sorrows in 1809. It commemorates the spiritual martyrdom Mary suffered by witnessing the passion and death of Jesus.

Collect: O God, who taught the Martyr Saint Wenceslaus to place the heavenly Kingdom before an earthly one, grant through his prayers that, denying ourselves, we may hold fast to you with all our heart. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Grant us, we pray, Lord God, the same perseverance shown by your Martyrs Saint Lawrence Ruiz and his companions in serving you and their neighbor, since those persecuted for the sake of righteousness are blessed in your Kingdom. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

PRAYERS

Optional Memorial of St. Wenceslaus, martyr; St. Lawrence Ruiz and Companions, martyrs

Old Calendar: St. Wenceslaus, martyr; Bl. John of Dukla (Hist)

St. Wenceslaus was Duke of Bohemia, who after many trials in governing and evangelizing his people, suffered martyrdom at the hands of his brother.

In the 17th century (1633-1637) St. Lawrence Ruiz and his companions shed their blood for Christ in Nagasaki, Japan. These martyrs were members of the Order of St. Dominic. They were nine priests, two religious, two sisters, and three laymen. Among the latter was Lawrence Ruiz, a family man from the Philippines. They abundantly sowed the missionary seed of Christianity with the example of their life and death.

Historically today is the feast of St. John of Dukla who was born in Dukla, Poland in 1414. He joined the Friars Minor Conventual, a religious order who strictly adhered to their rule of poverty and obedience. Though he went blind later in age he was able to prepare sermons with the help of an aide. His preaching was credited in bringing people back to the Church in his province. Soon after his death, there was an immediate at his tomb and several miracles were attributed to him. On June 10, 1997, he was canonized by Pope John Paul II in a mass at Krosno, Poland before approximately one million people.

St. WenceslausSt. Wenceslaus, duke of Bohemia, was born about the year 907 at Prague, Bohemia (now the Czech Republic). His father was killed in battle when he was young, leaving the kingdom to be ruled by his pagan mother. Wenceslaus was educated by his grandmother, Ludmilla, also a saint. She taught him to be a Christian and to be a good king. She was killed by pagan nobles before she saw him king, but she left him with a deep committment to the Christian faith.

Throughout his life he preserved his virginity unblemished. As duke he was a father to his subjects, generous toward orphans, widows, and the poor. On his own shoulders he frequently carried wood to the houses of the needy. He often attended the funerals of the poor, ransomed captives, and visited those suffering in prison. He was filled with a deep reverence toward the clergy; with his own hands he sowed the wheat for making altar breads and pressed the grapes for the wine used in the Mass. During winter he would visit the churches barefoot through snow and ice, frequently leaving behind bloody footprints.

Wenceslaus was eighteen years old when he succeeded his father to the throne. Without regard for the opposition, he worked in close cooperation with the Church to convert his pagan country. He ended the persecution of Christians, built churches and brought back exiled priests. As king he gave an example of a devout life and of great Christian charity, with his people calling him "Good King" of Bohemia.

His brother Boleslaus, however, turned to paganism. One day he invited Wenceslaus to his house for a banquet. The next morning, on September 28, 929, as Wenceslaus was on the way to Mass, Boleslaus struck him down at the door of the church. Before he died, Wenceslaus forgave his brother and asked God's mercy for his soul. Although he was killed for political reasons, he is listed as a martyr since the dispute arose over his faith. This king, martyred at the age of twenty-two, is the national hero and patron of the Czech Republic. He is the first Slav to be canonized.

Learn more about Prague and the Czech Republic and St. Vitus Cathedral, supposedly started by St. Wenceslas in the 10th century as a small chapel to house relics of St. Vitus and where in the 14th century St. John Nepomucene was buried after being executed for refusing to violate the seal of the confessional.

Teach your children the Christmas carol, Good King Wenceslas and discuss his life and virtue. If you can find a copy, a wonderful book with music and illustrations is called Good King Wenceslas: A Legend in Music and Pictures by Mary Reed Newland, published by Seabury Press, 1980.

Bake a loaf of bread for dinner and serve wine in honor of St. Wenceslas.

St. Lawrence RuizLawrence Ruiz is the first Filipino to be canonized a saint. He and 15 others were martyred at Nagasaki, Japan in 1637. The group included two consecrated women, two other laymen, two brothers and nine priests.

Lawrence was born in Manila in the Philippines; his father was Chinese and his mother Filipino. He became associated with the Dominicans, and was a member of the Confraternity of the Holy Rosary. These Dominicans taught him Spanish, and from his parents he learned Chinese and Tagalog. He became a professional calligrapher and transcribed documents.

He married and had three children. In 1636, he fled the Philippines after being accused of murder. He joined a missionary group headed for Japan, where Catholics were being persecuted. It was soon found out that the members of this group were Catholic, so they were arrested and taken to Nagasaki. They were tortured for several days, first crushed while hanging upside down for three days, then the bodies were burned, with the ashes thrown into the Pacific Ocean on September 30, 1637. Pope John Paul II canonized these martyrs on October 18, 1987.

Bl. John of Dukla St. John of Dukla was a Franciscan missionary who was born in Dukla, Galicia, Poland, around 1414 and grew up a deeply religious person. He began his religious life as a hermit but then entered the Conventual Franciscans and was ordained. From 1440-1463 he labored as a preacher, and he was elected superior of the monastery because of his holiness and sound judgment. After serving his term in the monastery, John traveled as a missionary to the area of Lvov, in the Ukraine. There a group of Observant Franciscans, called the Bernardines, were conducting their ministries. John was attracted by the Bernardine spirit and transferred to that branch of the order. He was stricken with blindness in the last years of his life, but he did not retire from his pastoral duties. John preached and found his way to the confessional by groping along the pews. He died in Lvov, on September 29, 1484, a beloved priest. He was beatified in 1733 by Pope Clement XII. Pope John Paul II canonized John in Krosno, Poland, on June 10, 1997.

Meditation: Ecclesiastes 3:1-11

Saint Wenceslaus, Martyr

God has made everything appropriate to its time, and has put the timeless into their hearts. (Ecclesiastes 3:11)

In this familiar passage, the wis­dom writer reminds us that there is a proper time for everything. Its important for us to discern the time we are living in so that we know how we should act. Its pointless to plant seeds when they have no access to water. Were out of step if we mourn at a wedding or rearrange the furniture just before we move.

Some times are harder to figure out. Halfway through a long expla­nation, we may suddenly notice that others have stopped listening and are impatient to chime in. We belat­edly realize it should have been our time for silence.

In his precious time apart with the Twelve (Luke 9:18-22), Jesus invited his friends to reflect on the time in which they were living and the One they were living with. In response to his question, they affirmed him as the long-awaited Messiah. The Eternal had broken into their world, and nothing would ever be the same for humankind.

However, the disciples might easily have come to the wrong con­clusion. Many of them would have loved to be living in the time of Gods triumph and victory. But they had to come to grips with the fact that Jesus road to glory needed to pass through Calvary. For them and for their Messiah, it was a time of suffering.

It was also a time for choice. What did they believe about Jesus? Were they willing to follow their Master all the way to the cross, even if it meant setting aside not only their personal ambitions but their cherished notions of the way things ought to be?

We often feel jarred when we feel a difference between our expecta­tions and what is actually happening around us. At times like these, its especially important to come aside and spend time reflecting with Jesus. When we get a clearer focus on the time in which we are living, we can learn how to respond appropriately. Jesus will always help us keep the Timeless in view.

Jesus, you are the Lord of the past and the future. Help me stay close to you in this present time of opportunity.

Once when Jesus was praying in solitude, and the disciples were with him, he asked them, "Who do the crowds say that I am?" They said in reply, "John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, ´One of the ancient prophets has arisen.´" Then he said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter said in reply, "The Messiah of God." But he gave them strict orders and charged them not to say this to anyone. He said, "The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised."

Introductory Prayer:Lord, you are the author of life and the giver of all that is good. You are the Prince of Peace and my mainstay. You are my healer and the cure itself. I need you, and I need to give you. I love you and commit myself to you entirely, knowing you could never let me down or deceive me. Thank you for giving me your very self.

Petition: Lord Jesus, grant me the courage to bear witness to you as the Messiah.

1. According to the Latest Poll  Frequently we hear in the news opinion polls concerning certain topics, people or events. There is nothing novel about that. But when Christ himself polls popular opinion by asking, Who do the crowds say that I am?, he isnt interested in his public rating. If this were his motive he would have become very discouraged, because the public opinion was so far from the truth. What do you mean, John the Baptist?  there is quite a difference between the bridegroom and the best man at the wedding feast. Others opinions stray even farther. What matters in life is not what others think or say about us. The only opinion that matters is Gods: what he thinks about us and what we do. Lord, not everyone knows you. We live in a generation that seeks more signs. Send us your gift of faith so that we might truly believe and thus be saved.

2. Personal Convictions: Jesus had three short years to shed his blood for our redemption and found his Church. In founding the Church he had to transform some rough fishermen. He had to bring them to believe firmly his divinity and mission so that they would continue the work of salvation after his death. Jesus had just spent some time in prayer, and he knew from where the transformation would come. Just how much had his disciples managed to open their hearts to the Fathers work? Who do you say that I am? Peter rises to the occasion. He couldnt have said it more concisely and exactly: The Messiah of God. How about me? Who is Jesus for me? Is he truly my Messiah and Redeemer? Do I preach this truth to others by the way I live and the words I speak? I want to be a more ardent apostle of your Kingdom, Lord. Give me convincing words and actions so that others might come to recognize you as the Messiah of God.

3. The Pharisees Got It Wrong: So that there would be no mistake as to the meaning of Peters confession of faith, Jesus decided to define the term. Messiah means the Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised." The Pharisees misunderstood the figure of the Messiah. They thought the Messiah would deliver them from Roman occupation. They had not understood that slavery to Rome was nothing in comparison to the slavery to sin and to the prince of this world. If we are to conquer sin and Satan today, there is only one way: the cross. Jesus is the savior of the world. Through his passion and death he has become the solution to all of our problems. This is why he tells us: If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross every day and follow me (Luke 9:23).

Conversation with Christ:Lord, I fear that cross with every fiber of my being, but let your will  and not mine  be done. I know that if you are with me, everything will work out in the end. I want to be a better apostle of your kingdom.

Resolution: Despite the opposition I may encounter, I will try to make every encounter with others today an occasion to share my faith with them and bring them closer to God.

Christ, Christians, and the Cross

Jesus told his disciples that the Messiah must suffer and die in order that Gods work of redemption might be accomplished. How scandalized the disciples were when they heard this.

We are no different from the apostles. How many of us complain and feel shocked when we see fervent Christian friends and relatives undergoing moral suffering, sickness and failure in business? We say, they dont deserve it. How can God do this? How different really are Gods thoughts and ways from our thoughts and ways?

Through humiliation, suffering, and death on the cross Jesus broke the powers of sin and death and won for us eternal life and true freedom. Every Christian must follow the same road which Jesus traveled. No slave is greater than his master. If we want to share in Christs victory, then we must also take up our cross and follow him where he leads us.

What is the cross that you and I must take up each day? How do we follow Jesus when the road is dark and sailing is rough? It is in these trying moments that Jesus reveals his love and solicitude forus. Who do you say he is? Is he your Companion? Friend? Savior? Anchor? Light?

One Bread, One Body

GETTIN' IT ALL TOGETHER

"He has made everything appropriate to its time, and has put the timeless into their hearts." Ecclesiastes 3:11

In the old covenant, we could be born and only later die (Eccl 3:2). However, in the new covenant, when we believe in Jesus, we die to self (Jn 12:24) and are born again at the same time (see Jn 3:3, 5). Moreover, in Jesus, seeking and losing are not necessarily opposites (see Eccl 3:6). Only when we lose our lives (Lk 9:24) can we seek first God's kingdom (Mt 6:33). Also, love and hate are not always opposites (Eccl 3:8). We hate sin because we love sinners and especially because we love God. Finally, because Jesus is our Peace (Eph 2:14), we have a peace beyond understanding (Phil 4:7). Our peace is not incompatible with war (Eccl 3:8). Rather, we have peace in the midst of a spiritual war (Eph 6:12; Rv 19:14ff).

Because of sin, creation and our human nature are fallen. Our hearts are restless. We struggle with inner conflicts (Jas 4:1). In the old covenant, "all the works of the Most High...come in pairs, the one the opposite of the other" (Sir 33:15). In the new covenant, Jesus has destroyed "the devil's works" (1 Jn 3:8) and has reconciled "everything in His Person, both on earth and in the heavens" (Col 1:20). "All this has been done by God, Who has reconciled us to Himself through Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation" (2 Cor 5:18).

Prayer: Jesus, I give my life to You.

Promise: The Son of Man "must first endure many sufferings, be rejected by the elders, the high priests and the scribes, and be put to death, and then be raised up on the third day." Lk 9:22

Praise: St. Lawrence told his executioners: "I am a Christian. I shall die for God, and for Him I would give many thousands of lives, so do with me what you please."

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